1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to receptacles for receiving mail or other delivered articles, and for securely holding such articles until the receptacle is opened by an authorized user, thereby preventing theft or other loss.
2. Description of Related Art
Security dropboxes are known in the art for receiving mail or other delivered articles in a relatively secure way. Such dropboxes are designed for installation in publicly accessible areas, such as near public streets. Delivered items may be placed in such dropboxes by a postal carrier or other delivery person via an unlocked service door or slot. The delivered objects then drop into a receiving chamber that can be accessed through a locked access door. In addition to providing locking access doors, such boxes secure delivered objects by employing blocking structures between the service opening and the receiving chamber. The blocking structures prevent intruders from reaching into the receiving chamber to withdraw objects residing therein through the service opening. Various types of blocking structures are known in the art, having their own various advantages and disadvantages.
While the general principles of security dropboxes of the type described above are well understood, prior art dropboxes of this type suffer from certain limitations. For example, blocking structures used in prior art dropboxes are less than optimal. To the extent that prior art security dropboxes secure the items already in the receiving chamber, they do so by making the dropbox unnecessarily large, heavy and/or complex, relative to the size of the items to be delivered. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved security dropbox that provides for secure delivery of mail and small packages without sacrificing compactness, reliability, and low cost.
Another drawback of prior art blocking structures is that the serviceability of the dropboxes for package delivery is too readily sacrificed for security of the service opening, or vice-versa. That is, it is difficult to deposit packages above a certain, undesirably small size in prior art dropboxes having more secure service openings. Conversely, if the prior art dropbox more readily accepts larger packages, it will tend to compromise the security of received items by making it easier to reach through the service opening into the receiving chamber. The trade-offs that prior art dropboxes provide between serviceability and security are unacceptable in the modern world, where package delivery of critical items, such as prescription medication, is increasingly commonplace and the theft of mail is all too common. It would further be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved security dropbox that is capable of receiving larger packages without sacrificing security.
Further deficiencies of prior-art security dropboxes include inadequate protection from moisture intrusion. In rural areas, it is often desirable to mount security dropboxes as delivery mailboxes in relatively unprotected areas, to facilitate the delivery of mail. During inclement weather, water may be driven into the dropbox, through edges of a closed service door or access door. Moisture may also enter the dropbox when a service door or access door is opened by a user. Accordingly, an improved security dropbox should also provide greater protection against moisture damage to received items.
The present invention provides a security dropbox with a pivoting service bin, that provides for secure delivery of items such as mail and packages in a relatively compact space. The security dropbox may be relatively lightweight and economical to construct, and is suitable for many different applications; for example, as a security mailbox for curbside installation in rural areas. The invention further provides features for protecting delivered items from moisture damage.
A security lockbox according to the invention essentially comprises a walled enclosure. The enclosure may be provided in any suitable shape, for example, in an embodiment of the invention, the enclosure is substantially a rectangular prism (box-like shape). The enclosure has an opening through an upper portion of one of its walls, to receive delivered items. The opening is covered by a service door that is pivotably attached to the enclosure adjacent to a lower rim of the opening.
A service bin is disposed on an interior side of the service door. The service bin is positioned to hold delivered items when the service door is open, and to drop delivered items when the service door is closed. A secure bin is in the enclosure under the service bin, positioned to receive delivered items dropped from the service bin.
The configuration of the service bin serves several purposes. One purpose is to provide, in combination with the service door opening, a blocking structure that prevents items from being removed from the secure bin of the dropbox through the service opening. A second purpose is to drop the items deposited into the service bin into the secure bin when the service door is closed. Still another purpose is to provide a secure dropbox with a minimum of moving parts. The service bin is operated by the opening and closing of the service door, and therefore, no moving mechanisms apart from the hinge (or other pivoting attachment) of the service door are required.
In an embodiment of the invention, these purposes are achieved by providing a service bin comprised of an interior side of the service door, a substantially flat bin floor extending at an obtuse angle from the interior side of the service door, and bin sidewalls extending between the adjacent edges of the service door and the bin floor. In other words, the service bin may be a v-shaped bin with one floor of the bin provided by the service door itself. A service bin such as this may function effectively as a blocking structure to prevent reaching into the enclosure, while being compact and economical to construct. With this type of bin, it may be desirable for the obtuse angle to be just large enough so that items in the service bin will fall to the secure bin when the service door is closed. This may provide a more compact dropbox than would otherwise be possible.
In an embodiment of the invention, greater moisture protection is provided for delivered items by provided a gasket of weather-resistant sealing material between the service door and the perimeter of the service opening. A similar gasket may be provided around other openings into the enclosure. The gasket prevents moisture from being driven into the enclosure during inclement weather. Another feature for improved protection from moisture is a specially configured receiving floor in the secure bin. The receiving floor has an upper portion for supporting delivered items, and a lower portion for receiving drainage from the upper portion. The invention is operable without these enhancements, which should therefore be regarded as optional improvements.
Other features may optionally be added to the secure dropbox. For example, a pivoting flag to indicate the presence of outgoing mail may be added. A related optional feature is a spring clip or pocket inside the service door, for holding outgoing mail. For further example, the secure bin may be provided with a lockable access door. The access door may be positioned at any suitable location on the enclosure. Yet another example of an enhancement is a magnetic latch for the service door. One of ordinary skill will appreciate other features and enhancements for the secure dropbox, depending on its intended application.